Automotive suspension system for increasing roll safety

ABSTRACT

An automotive suspension system for increasing roll safety adapted to restrict twist at a tip portion of a leaf spring when an automobile tilts to one direction to add the returning force of the leaf spring to that of the stabilizer, thereby significantly decreasing rolling of the body and effectively securing high safety, the system for generating twist when the car rolls around including: side frames arranged lengthwise at left and right sides of a body; leaf springs mounted to an axle via a U-bolt; and a stabilizer with both edges being mounted to ends of the axle to decrease rolling of the body; serration formed at an internal surface of a spring eye in the end of the leaf spring and at an outer surface of the spring pin for corresponding insertion; a hitching edge with its lower portion being protruded as the upper portion of the edge of the spring pin is eliminated in a semicircular shape; and an insertion hole formed with a stopper protruded toward the center from the upper portion to restrict rotation by allowing the hitching edge of the spring pin to be inserted to a fixing bracket.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to an automotive suspension systemfor increasing roll safety, and more particularly to an automotivesuspension system for increasing roll safety adapted to restrict twistat a tip portion of a leaf spring when an automobile is tilted to onedirection to thereby increase strength of the leaf spring withgeneration of stabilizing function.

[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art

[0004] In general, an automotive suspension system serves to connect anaxle and a body to adequately attenuate vibration or shock of the axlereceived from road surface while a vehicle is running, thereby improvingpeople's comfort riding in the vehicle and preventing damage to thebody. Particularly, an automotive suspension system for trucks or busesincludes side frames 1 arranged lengthwise at left and right sides ofthe body and leaf springs 2 fixed lengthwise to the frames 1 and mountedto an axle via a U-bolt, as illustrated in FIG. 1.

[0005] Furthermore, the automotive suspension system is of coursemounted with a stabilizer mounted at a tip and an axle for fixing bothtip ends in order to decrease rolling of the body.

[0006] However, there is a problem in a heavy-duty vehicle such as truckor the like in that, when the vehicle rolls around, careening caused bycentripetal force according to weight of overloaded cargoes or highspeed of the vehicle cannot be coped with by restoring force of astabilizer, resulting in possible overturn of vehicle, so it isimperative that a suspension system should be developed with astabilizer with a notion of increased restoring force thereof to obtainsafety of the vehicle at all events.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0007] The present invention is disclosed to solve the aforementionedproblems and it is an object of the present invention to provide anautomotive suspension system for increasing roll safety adapted torestrict a twist at a tip portion of a leaf spring when an automobilerolls around to thereby increase strength of leaf spring with generationof stabilizing function.

[0008] In order to accomplish the aforementioned object of the presentinvention, there is provided an automotive suspension system comprisingleaf springs fixed lengthwise on side frames arranged lengthwise at leftand right sides of a body with the central portion thereof being mountedto an axle, a stabilizer mounted with both edges being mounted at endsof the axle to decrease rolling of the body, wherein serration isrespectively formed at the internal surface of a spring eye that formsan end of the leaf spring and at the outer surface of a spring pin forcorresponding insertion therebetween and a hitching edge is formed atits lower portion being protruded by eliminating the upper portion ofthe leaf spring in a semicircular shape, so that an insertion hole isformed with a stopper being protruded toward the center from the top torestrict the rolling by getting the hitching edge of the spring pin tobe inserted into a fixing bracket to generate a twist at the leaf springwhen an automobile tilts to one direction.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] For fuller understanding of the nature and object of theinvention, reference should be made to the following detaileddescription taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings inwhich:

[0010]FIG. 1 is a partial view for illustrating the structure of anautomotive suspension system for increasing roll safety;

[0011]FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view cut along line A-A shownin FIG. 1;

[0012]FIG. 3 is a perspective view for illustrating attachment ordetachment of a leaf spring to generate supplementary stabilizingfunction of an automotive suspension system in accordance with thepresent invention; and

[0013]FIG. 4 is a view for illustrating an operational state of anautomotive suspension system to generate supplementary stabilizingfunction in accordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0014] Objects and aspects of the invention will become apparent fromthe following detailed description of a preferred embodiment withreference to the accompanying drawings.

[0015]FIG. 1 is a partial view for illustrating the structure of anautomotive suspension system for increasing roll safety in accordancewith the present invention. In the present invention, the automotivesuspension system is made in a coupling structure, including: sideframes 1 arranged lengthwise at left and right sides of a body; leafsprings 2 mounted to an axle via a U-bolt; and a stabilizer (not shown)with both edges being mounted to ends of the axle to decrease rolling ofthe body, wherein a fixing part formed at one of the leaf springs 2, asshown in FIG. 2, is formed with a fixing bracket 3 and a spring pin 4attached onto the side frame to generate twist at the leaf spring 2 whenthe car tilts to one direction.

[0016] In other words, the aforementioned coupling structure of anautomotive suspension system for generating a twist when the car rollsaround, includes as shown in FIG. 3: serration 2 b formed at an internalsurface of a spring eye 2 a at the end of the leaf spring 2 and at anouter surface of the spring pin 4 for corresponding insertion when thespring pin 4 is inserted into the spring eye 2 a of the leaf spring 2; ahitching edge 4 b with its lower portion being protruded as the upperportion of the edge of the spring pin 4 is eliminated in a semicircularshape; and an insertion hole 3 a formed with a stopper 3 b protrudedtoward the center from the upper portion to restrict rotation byallowing the hitching edge 4 b of the spring pin 4 to be inserted into afixing bracket 3.

[0017] At this time, in order to firmly insert the spring pin 4 into thefixing bracket 3 and prevent looseness, a flange (shown in a dot line inthe drawing) having a relatively large diameter is integrated at the endof the hitching edge 4 b, as shown in FIG. 3.

[0018] Operations of the present invention will now be described indetail.

[0019] Generally, when a vehicle is running, the suspension system ofthe present invention operates in the same manners as the conventionalsystem, such that redundant descriptions are omitted. However,descriptions will be made on occurrences of rolling when wheels of thevehicle move irregularly up or down, causing twists and when its bodytilts to one side as the vehicle is running around.

[0020] In other words, when the body tilts to one side to turn to onedirection, the leaf spring 2 of the suspension system at one side, towhich the car is driven, may cope with a greater weight of load thanthat of the other side. Accordingly, a force to roll to a direction Rmay be applied to the spring pin 3 coupled with the spring eye 2 a ofthe leaf spring 2 according to the increased weight.

[0021] At this time, the spring pin 3 to roll to the direction R mayturn the spring eye 2 a of the leaf spring 2 via serration 2 b, 3 ainserted together. However, the hitching edge 3 b of the spring pin 3 isblocked from being rolled by the stopper 4 b that is protruded to theupper portion of the insertion hole 4 a of the fixing bracket 4.

[0022] Then, the rotational force of the spring pin 3 blocked by thestopper 4 b of the fixing bracket 4 is transmitted to the spring eye 2 aof the leaf spring 2 coupled via inversely formed serrations 2 b and 3a, thereby generating twist at the spring eye 2 a of the leaf spring 2.

[0023] Therefore, the twist generated at the leaf spring 2 according toan increased weight when a vehicle turns to one side is eliminated byremoval of the twist at the leaf spring 2 when the vehicle returns toits normal state after turning around. In consequence, the returningforce of the leaf spring 2 is added to that of the stabilizer in thesame direction, so as to swiftly, safely decrease the rolling of thebody.

[0024] As shown above, there is an advantage in the automotivesuspension system of the present invention in that twist is generated atthe leaf spring, when an automobile tilts to one direction, to add thereturning force of the leaf spring to that of the stabilizer, therebysignificantly decreasing rolling of the body and effectively securing ahigh safety.

What is claimed is:
 1. An automotive suspension system for increasingroll safety by generating twist by weight applied to leaf springs fixedat side frames installed lengthwise at left and right sides of a bodywith its central part being mounted via a U-bolt to an axle when avehicle tilts to one direction and by adding the twist of leaf springsto returning force of a stabilizer to thereby decrease rolling of thebody when the weight loaded to the body is eliminated.
 2. The system, asdefined in claim 1, further comprising a coupling structure in whichtwist is generated at an end of the leaf spring fixed at the side frame.3. The system, as defined in claim 2, further comprising the couplingstructure in which rotational force of a spring pin coupled with aspring eye forming an end of the leaf spring is blocked by a fixingbracket arranged at the side frame to thereby generate twist at the leafspring.
 4. The system, as defined in claim 3, wherein a spring eye ofthe leaf spring and a spring pin are coupled in serration at respectiveinternal and external circumferences thereof.
 5. The system, as definedin claim 3, wherein a hitching edge protruded at an end of the springpin is blocked from rotating by a stopper formed at an insertion hole ofthe fixing bracket.
 6. The system, as defined in claim 5, wherein thehitching edge of the spring pin has its lower portion protruded with itsupper portion being eliminated in a semicircular shape, and the stopperof the fixing bracket is protruded at the upper portion of the insertionhole toward the center thereof.